SAHIWAL: Ten artists were given the Khidmat Card and Rs20,000 in cash by the Punjab government.

The card distribution ceremony was held at Sahiwal Arts Council on Saturday morning. Riaz Hamdani, assistant director of the council, said that on an initiative of the Punjab Council of the Arts, artists of Sahiwal division had been asked to get themselves registered online. A large number of artists, including painters, singers and theatre, film, TV and radio artists registered online.

The artists selected and awarded the Khidmat Card were Muhammad Younas, Abdul Haq, Abdul Shakoor and Shah Jahan from Sahiwal; Ahmed Bakhsh, Mahboob Alam and Nawaz Alam from Okara; and Bashir Ahmed, Niaz Ahmed and Muhmmad Naeem from Pakpattan district.

Hamdani said the purpose of the card was to financially support artists so they could contribute passionately towards development of society.

RAPE ATTEMPT: A rickshaw driver and his associate allegedly attempted to rape and kill a female passenger late on Friday night.

District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Atif Ikram told the media that a woman, a resident of Hayatabad, Chichawatni, arrived here from Rawalpindi for Eid holidays. She hailed a rickshaw and asked the driver to take her to the general bus stand. Instead, the driver took her to a deserted place near Pakpattan bypass where one of his friends was waiting.

They both forcefully took the woman to nearby fields where they attempted to rape her, but she raised a hue and cry. They then tried to strangle her due to which the woman became unconscious. The men fled from the scene assuming she was dead, and left the rickshaw there.

Ghala Mandi Station Houser Officer Asif Watoo said a police mobile found the abandoned rickshaw. They looked around and found the woman’s purse and a shoe, and heard her cries. The woman and shifted to DHQ hospital.

Dr Ikram later visited the woman at the hospital and directed police to arrest the culprits.

District police sources claimed on Saturday morning to have arrested a man from village 87/6-R. The DPO claimed the man was the rickshaw driver. Watoo said police were conducting raids to book the other person.

Hospital source said the woman was in the Intensive Care Unit but out of danger.

BROILER CHICKEN: Prices of broiler chicken have shot up to Rs40 to Rs45 per kilogramme in the last two days with customers complaining that Eid was the reason for these inflated prices.

Citizens complained that ineffectiveness of the District Price Control Committee was the main reason for this sudden price hike.

A market survey revealed that the price of chicken was Rs190 per kg on June 21. It increased to Rs200, Rs215, Rs233 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Saima, a resident of Farid Town, said that a week ago chicken was selling between Rs170 and Rs180 per kg.

“But with Eid approaching, its price is going up Rs10 to Rs15 per day,” she added.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2017